You Owe me One
by Tauna
Summary: Takes place after Timeless


Title: You owe me one  
Author:Tauna (me @blktauna.com)  
Series: VOY  
Rating: [G]   
Codes: P/K  
  
Archive as you will. I'd love to know if you enjoyed it. Constructive criticism is welcome. Flames are not.   
  
Disclaimer: They aren't mine but if ever they come up for auction, I am claiming the pair.   
  
You owe me one...   
by Tauna   
  
Harry's mind reeled.   
  
'I guess I admitted it to myself after all...'   
  
He stared at the hard, embitterd image of his face from the future. The face of Harry without Tom.   
  
'Is this what I have to look forward to? Emptiness and sadness?'   
  
He sighed heavily and leaned back in the chair. His eyes closed as he tried to imagine what his other self had gone through. Everyone dead. No Tom. Having to face all the families alone. Knowing it was your mistake that caused everyone to die. Then the tears came.   
  
'Its my fault. In my own twisted way I would rather have had us all dead than back in the Alpha quadrant without Tom. I can even deal with him seeing B'Elanna as long as I have him to myself once in awhile. It wouldn't be that way at home... He'd be off with her and I'd never see him again...'   
  
Harry slumped forward. His forehead rested on the computer. It felt cool to his burning skin.   
  
'I guess I have to say something. I owe it to myself...'   
  
A wry smile crossed his face. He wiped the tears from his eyes and set out.   
  
===========   
  
Each day Harry allowed himself to acknowledge more of his feelings for Tom. He came to terms with the fact that what he felt for Libby was washed away by what he felt for Tom. He tried not to think about the physical hunger. It had been hard enough to deal with wanting someone in a different quadrant. It was quite a different story to want someone you worked alongside everyday. Someone with a formidable half-klingon girlfriend. Someone who was your best friend. Someone who was a guy. That had been the hardest to reconcile, but reconcile he did. Tom seemed to know that Harry wanted to talk to him but each time Harry had Tom alone, B'Elanna would magically appear and interrupt. He realized B'Elanna knew what was going on and she was practically psychic in her ability to keep him from Tom. He decided he needed to confront her about it. He lay in wait for her near engineering.   
  
"Hey B'Elanna... can I talk to you for a minute?"   
  
She scowled at him and tried to move past him without looking like she was. He reached out and laid his hand on her arm.   
  
"B'Elanna, come on. We have to talk." he looked at her with large pleading eyes.   
  
Her lip raised in contempt but she halted.   
  
"What do you want Harry." she said flatly.   
  
"B'Elanna...I don't want to hurt you or cause you trouble, believe me..."   
  
She roughly shook his hand from her arm.   
  
"Harry, I know what you are trying to do. If you say anything to him I will take you apart. He belongs to me and I won't let anything or anyone ruin that... do you hear me?"   
  
She shoved him aside and stomped back down the hall to the turbolift. Harry stared after her openmouthed.   
  
'How could I ruin anything... unless...'   
  
Now Harry's mind really raced.   
  
=============   
  
"Hey Har! Long time no see!"   
  
Tom corraled him in the turbolift. He threw his arm around Harry in a seeming casual manner. Both of them felt the electricity. Tom called out the deck for their quarters.   
  
"Where's B'Elanna?" Harry asked innocently enough.   
  
Tom's nose wrinkled slightly. He shrugged.   
  
"Oh probably with the warp core...Hey Har, would play something for me? It's been ages since I heard you play."   
  
Harry's neck felt hot. He was sure he was flourescent red. He got a grip on himself and answered.   
  
"Sure. What do you want to hear?"   
  
"Hmm let me think..."   
  
The door of the lift swooshed open and Tom steered him to his quarters. They breezed in and Tom flopped down on the couch. He arranged himself languidly as Harry got out his clarinet and put it together. He watched Harry's lips with interest as he wet the reed.   
  
"So Tom what can I play for you?"   
  
He shifted under Tom's unwavering gaze. The room had grown somewhat hot.   
  
"Well... I suddenly had the urge to hear some old 20th Century music. You know Cole Porter don't you?"   
  
Harry's heart pounded in his chest. He could feel Tom's eyes raking over him. He knew Cole Porter alright, and he knew which song he would play.   
  
"Yup... How about this tune?"   
  
Harry began to play 'I love Paris in the Springtime'. Tom's eyes twinkled. He tried to hold the smirk back but it blossomed into a full blown smile. His head nodded in time with the music for a few moments before he got up and walked over to where Harry stood playing. His finger came forward and traced Harry's cheekbone.   
  
"I guess we do need to talk, don't we Har... "   
  
The music died out as the clarinet reed slipped from his lips. Harry's breathing became labored. He and Tom simply stared at each other for an eternity, their faces slowly coming closer. Harry swallowed hard and was about to say something when Tom's com badge chirped.   
  
"Torres to Paris. What the hell are you up to Tom! What are you doing in his quarters?"   
  
Harry closed his eyes and turned away to hide the disappointment on his face. Tom muttered something under his breath but answered.   
  
"Well a lovely good evening to you too, B'Elanna."   
  
"My quarters... NOW."   
  
Tom simply signed off without answering. He reached out and gripped Harry's shoulder. Harry's breath caught. He turned to look at Tom with pain in his eyes.   
  
"Tom she warned me off you. Now she'll take it out on both of us. I'm so sorry."   
  
"Har, I'm a big boy now. She doesn't scare me. We need to talk about what's going on between us, and B'Elanna and I obviously have a few things of our own to get straightened out. Be patient Har. Please?"   
  
Harry never could deny Tom anything. He nodded. Tom squeezed his shoulder and let his knuckles slide along his cheekbone. Harry's skin tingled. Tom smiled at him brilliantly and turned to leave.   
  
"Tom, wait!"   
  
Tom turned to an armload of Harry. Their lips brushed swiftly. Tom licked his lips and smiled as he left.   
  
========= 


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